Target with electrical indicator



1955 H. GLASSEN, JR 2,700,546

TARGET WITH ELECTRICAL INDICATOR Filed Feb; 26, 1952 29 3 /0 25 24 HIIHIILLL Z QEEI IIIIIIIIHHHH 22 HIMIIIEL llllml BIHIII%III- mm IN V EN TOR. 1142222 GZ aSSGPZ, (/1:

W W M ATTORNEY United States Patent TARGET WITH ELECTRICAL INDICATOR Henry Glassen, Jr., Union Township, Union County, N. J.

Application February 26, 1952, Serial No. 273,454

2 Claims. (Cl. 273--102.2)

My invention relates generally to games of skill and specifically a mechanism for such a game.

It is among the objects of my invention to provide a means for operating two independent series of visible signals in succession and to cause the successive illumination to stop upon the performance of an act of skill coordinated in time with the coincidence of the two series of visible signals.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a game which requires the exercise of skill, judgment and timing in order to skillfully achieve the objects of the game.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a game of skill in which accuracy of placement, as an element in the game, must be coordinated with skillfull judgment of the time interval.

These objects and advantages, as well as other objects and advantages, may be achieved by the device illustrated in the appended drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective showing the playing surface or game board of my game of skill and the indicating lights;

Figure 2 is a side view of the rotary switches;

Figure 3 is a top view of the rotary switches; and

Figure 4 is a circuit diagram of my game.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, my game presents a playing board 11 having a plurality of contact rings 12 in the center of each of which is a contact spot 13. A coin 14, skillfully tossed, that lands upon and bridges the gap between a contact ring 12 and a contact spot 13, will act to close a circuit and operate a relay 15. The relay 15 opens the motor energizing circuit and causes the motor 16 to stop. Having broken with the contact 17 in so doing, the relay makes the contact 18 and causes a bell 19 to sound. The switch 20 opens the motor circuit when it is desired to stop the operation of the game for the relay 15 is normally closed as to the motor circuit.

Underneath the playing board 11, a table 21 is provided to mount the rotary switches 22. Since each switch is intended to operate in succession a series of four different colored lights 23, the switches 22 are divided into four segments 24, etc., and each of the segments is separated from the adjacent segment by an insulator 25. It will be noted from Figures 2, 3 and 4 that there are two rotary switches, one controlling the one series of colored lights and the other controlling the other series of colored lights. A switch-arm 26 is mounted on the end of the motor shaft 27. The switch-arm 26 has a contact ring 28 which in rotation makes continuous contact with the arm 29. The end of the switch-arm 26 is provided with a flexible contact that makes sweeping contact witheach of the .segments 24. Mounted on the shaft 27 is a pulley 30. The switch-arm 26 of the second rotary switch is mounted on a shaft 31 which in turn serves to mount a larger pulley 32. The pulleys are connected together by a belt 33. By reason of the disparate size of the pulleys 30 and 32, it will be seen that one of the switches operates at a higher rate of speed than the other switch and consequently the lights of one series are constantly illuminated at a more rapid rate of speed than the lights of the other series. Thus, when the lights of each series are operated progressively, the one series will be illuminated successively more rapidly than the other series and although the lights may start out in phase, i. e., the same lights being illuminated in each series at the same time, the lights will soon be operating out of phase, i. e., a difierent light will be illuminated ineach series, until finally illumination progresses to the point where the lights are operated in phase again. A suitable source of power 34 is provided to illuminate the lights 23 and a switch 35 will serve to turn oil the lights when the machine is not in operation. The power source 34'is connected to each of the lights in each series. The opposite leg of the light filaments in one series are connected by wires 36 each running to one of the segments 24 of the rotary switch. The contact arms 26 are connected to the power source. With the relay 15 in the position shown in Figure 4, the switch 20 is closed and the motor commences to operate the rotary switches 22. The switch 35 is closed and series of lights commence to operate in succession independently of one another. The tossing of a coin 14 so that it lands on the contact ring 12 and the contact spot 13 will cause the relay to operate, thereby opening the motor circuit and closing the bell circuit. The bell 19 sounds and the motor 16 stops. If the person tossing the coin has timed his pitch properly in conjunction with the observable synchronization of the lights, the motor 16 will be stopped with the lights of the same color in each series illuminated. The achievement of this result may be said to be the object of the game of skill. for achieving this result may be appropriately larger than the award for merely having landed on the contact ring and contact button but only illuminating lights of different colors.

Assuming that the person has acquired such skill that he will unerringly be able to hit the contact ring 12 and contact button 13 with every pitch, the ease of his stopping the motor may be greatly increased by decreasing the disparity between the size of the pulley 30 and the pulley 32. Thus if both of the pulleys are nearly of the same size, both series of lights, once they are in phase, (i. e. when both have the same light lighted at the same time), will remain in phase for a relatively long period of time. On the other hand, if the disparity between the size of the two pulleys is greatly increased, then the question of timing becomes a paramount factor and the difficulty of achieving the object of the game of skill is greatly increased because the skill in accuracy of tossing must be combined with a highly accurate sense of timing.

Although I have shown the lights 23 to be four in number, there may be a greater number. Likewise, instead of four segments 24, there may be more, and even two, three or more segments 24 for each light 23.

The foregoing description is merely intended to illustrate an embodiment of the invention. The component parts have been shown and described. They each may have substitutes which may perform a substantially similar function; such substitutes may be known as proper substitutes for the said components and may have actually been known or invented before the present invention; these substitutes are contemplated as being within the scope of the appended claims, although they are not specifically catalogued herein.

1. A game of skill comprising a first series of electrically illuminated signals each of different color than the other, a switch means for completing electrical circuits for successively illuminating the signals of the first series; a second series of electrically illuminated signals each of a different color than the other and corresponding in color and arrangement with the first series, a switch means for completing electrical circuits for successively illuminating the signals of the second series: an operating means for driving both of the aforesaid switch means at difiering rates of speed; contacts disposed in spaced relation and adapted to be bridged by a coin cast across the contacts by a player, a means operably connected to the contacts and adapted to inactivate the operating means whereby the switch means are stopped and illuminate a single signal in each series.

2. A game of skill comprising a first series of electrically illuminated signals each of different color than the other, a switch means for completing electrical circuits for successively illuminating the signals of the first series; a second series of electrically illuminated signals The award each of a difierent color than the other and corresponding in color and arrangement with the first series, a switch means for completing electrical circuits for successively illuminating thesignals of the second series; said first and second series being disposed on a substantially vertical panel; an operating means for driving both of the aforesaid switch means at differing rates of speed; contacts disposed in spaced relation and adapted to be bridged by a coin cast across the contacts by a player; said contacts being disposed on a substantially horizontal panel; a means operably connected to the contacts and adapted to inactivate the operating means, whereby the switch means are stopped and illuminate a single signal in each series.

UNITED STATES PATENTS McMullen Dec. 17, Kiser Oct. 13, Junker Oct. 18, Junker June 4, Epstein May 10, Shirey Feb. 1, Hitchings July 31, T ilson Feb. 19, Peterson i Feb. 26, 

